U.S. oversees war games in Jordan amid Syria turmoil

8,000 troops, including 4,500 U.S. soldiers, gathered in Jordan this week for elaborate war games. The 12-day exercise involves combined air, land and sea maneuvers across Jordan. Personnel from the U.S. and Jordan, as well as 19 Arab and European nations, will train on border security, irregular warfare, terrorism and counterinsurgency.

In this photo, U.S. Marines monitor Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers in Quweira, 186 miles south of Amman, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Soldiers rappel down ropes during a combined special operations demonstration with commandos from Jordan, Iraq, and the U.S. as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers, at the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) in Amman, Jordan, June 20, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Special operations forces from Iraq, Jordan and the U.S. conduct a vessel board search and seizure exercise in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Special operations forces from Iraq, Jordan and the U.S. use rope ladders to board a ship during a vessel board search and seizure exercise in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Special operations forces from Jordan and the U.S. conduct a combined demonstration with commandos from Iraq, unseen, as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers, June 20, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Jordanian special operations forces conduct a beach assault exercise with commandos from Iraq and the U.S. as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers, in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

A Jordanian soldier participates in a combined special operations demonstration with commandos from Iraq and the U.S. as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers in Amman, Jordan, June 20, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

An Iraqi special operations soldier participates in an exercise with commandos from Jordan and the U.S. as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Special operations forces from Iraq, Jordan and the U.S. stand in formation for an assembled crowd of international military observers as helicopters hover overhead at the end of a combined demonstration as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers in Amman, Jordan, June 20, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

A special operations soldier, one of a contingent from Iraq, Jordan and the U.S., rappels from a rope to board a ship during a vessel board search and seizure exercise as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

A Jordanian special operations soldier participates in an exercise with commandos from Iraq and the U.S. in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Soldiers from Jordan, Iraq and the U.S. conduct a combined special operations demonstration in Amman, Jordan, June 20, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Special operations forces from Jordan, Iraq and the U.S. conduct a combined demonstration in Amman, Jordan, June 20, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Special operations forces from Iraq, Jordan, and the U.S. conduct a vessel board search and seizure exercise in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

A helicopter fires during Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers in Quweira,186 miles south of Amman, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.

Credit: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Jordanian special operations forces walk away after conducting a beach assault exercise with commandos from Iraq and the U.S. in the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, June, 19, 2013.